New charging points for Canterbury’s electric vehicle drivers

Vattenfall, the Swedish Energy Group, working with BMM Energy Solutions, has agreed its second partnership to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Britain, after winning a tender from Canterbury City Council. 
  
Vattenfall and BMM will install 12 InCharge charging stations in a number of public car parks in Canterbury this month [January 2019]. The power supplied to the sockets will be ‘sourced’ from Vattenfall’s British wind farms, including projects off the Kent coast. 
 
Anthony Hinde, Vattenfall’s Managing Director for InCharge in the UK, said: “It’s great to forge this partnership with Canterbury City Council so soon after winning our first public installations in Norfolk. With InCharge we are determined to put the driver first and enable fossil free living within one generation. Our charging stations, combined with future roaming agreements with other charging station operators, will improve the EV driver experience in Kent and across Britain. 
 
“Vattenfall has been operating in Kent since 2006 with wind farms off Whitstable and the Isle of Thanet. Now we have electric vehicle infrastructure and I hope we can continue to grow in Kent.”  
 
The installation of the new charging stations in Canterbury City is part of the Council’s plans to improve air quality in the city. 
 
Cllr Simon Cook, Leader of Canterbury City Council and Chairman of its Policy and Resources Committee, said: “The installation of these first EV charging points is an important first step in the journey to provide the infrastructure that will deliver cleaner air for the district. 
 
“They were one of a raft of measures contained in the Air Quality Action Plan approved by councillors at the end of last year. 
 
“The plan signalled our determination the council should do everything it can to improve air quality in those areas under its direct control while working with others to encourage them to do the same. 
 
“Our partnership with Vattenfall means motorists driving cleaner and greener electric cars will find life that little bit easier while being powered by renewable energy.” 
 
Terry Mohammed, CEO of BMM Energy Solutions, said: “Partnering with Vattenfall allows our clients and EV users to truly benefit from an EV charge point network that is easy to access, pro-active in roaming and is supplied from 100% UK generated renewable electricity. This combination in my mind is one of the best solutions in the market place right now and we look forward to working with Canterbury Council and surrounding districts on their EV infrastructure projects.”  
 
Last month, Vattenfall announced a tender win with its first partner, South Norfolk Council, to install 20 charging points. This followed the launch of Vattenfall’s InCharge electric vehicle charging business in June 2018.